Fans of Fran
Finding Freedom in the Focused
— Fran Lebowitz
Fran Lebowitz’s gravelly voice has stuck with me for a long time. At my age (twenty-seven) she had made a name for herself. She is unflinchingly herself. PRETEND IT’S A CITY is a Netflix Series and an exploration of her frame of mind. This special changed my perspective on myself — I found that I could completely and totally relate to her. I’m twenty-seven years old — the same age as Lebowitz when she became famous. As a lesbian, and a writer, I feel as though I want to follow in her footsteps. Her existence has helped to justify mine.
As someone who struggles with their mental illness, Lebowitz is a reminder that I could truly have a future in writing. As a, uh, particular person, I feel a kinship with Lebowitz. Being intensely neurotic beginning at age five, I knew I was in for a rough time for my future. There became diagnosis after diagnosis. While people can make jokes about that kind of thing in a humourous way (a la Maria Bamford,) Fran doesn’t feel the urge to pathologize. She is blunt but beautifully well-spoken, harsh but hard to define at the same time. Maybe that’s the way it should be. Just existing in a world that is perpetually crumbling requires humour, and Lebowitz has no shortage of that. She ignores the social rules, burning down prentiousness, and saying exactly what she wants to say.
Listening material on YouTube help satisfy my Fran cravings. A professional at interviews. Her political views are sensationalized, as is a lot of her ethos, and exploration. One day, I hope to make my own mark in media, but Lebowitz has created a pretty great template.